Medinilla plant named ‘RS005’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Medinilla  cultivar named ‘RS005’ is disclosed, characterized by large pink bracts, large green leaves and suitability for commercial production. The new variety is a  Medinilla , normally produced as an ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Medinilla dolichophylla×magnifica.

Variety denomination: ‘RS005’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Medinilla cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Robertus H. M. Scheffers, in Monster,Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to produce newMedinilla varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The newvariety is a product of crossbreeding that occurred during 2008, at acommercial nursery in Monster, Netherlands.

The seed parent is an unpatented, unnamed variety of Medinilladolichophylla. The pollen parent is an unpatented, unnamed varietyMedinilla magnifica. The new variety was discovered in 2009 by theinventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2008 crossing, in acommercial nursery in Monster, Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has been performed byvegetative cuttings. This was first performed at a commercial nursery inMonster, Netherlands in 2010 and has shown that the unique features ofthis cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘RS005’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘RS005’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘RS005’ as a new and distinct Medinillacultivar:

-   -   1. Large inflorescence with pink bract coloration.    -   2. Large green leaves.    -   3. Suitability for commercial production.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘RS005’ are similar to plants of the seedparent, Medinilla Dolichophylla in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘RS005’ produce a different leafshape than the seed parent. Additionally, ‘RS005’ also produces a flowerof darker pink coloration than those of the seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘RS005’ are similar to plants of the pollenparent; Medinilla magnifica in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘RS005’ produces double flowerswhereas the pollen parent produces a single flower. ‘RS005’ alsoproduces shorter petioles and smaller leaves compared to the pollenparent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘RS005’ are best compared to Medinilla‘RS003’, filed concurrently. While the two cultivars are similar in mosthorticultural characteristics, ‘RS005’ differs from ‘RS003’ in thefollowing characteristics;

-   -   1. ‘RS005’ has longer lateral branches.    -   2. ‘RS005’ has smaller foliage.    -   3. Foliage of ‘RS005’ has more greyed-green coloration not found        on foliage of ‘RS003’.    -   4. ‘RS005’ has larger inflorescence with longer peduncles.    -   5. Inflorescence of ‘RS005’ have less individual flowers than        inflorescence of ‘RS003’.    -   6. Flower bracts of ‘RS005’ are smaller than bracts of ‘RS003’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a closeup of typical flowers and foliage of ‘RS005’.

The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘RS005’ plants grown outdoors in Monster,Netherlands. The growing temperature ranged from 20° C. to 23° C. duringthe day and from 20° C. to 23° C. during the night. General lightconditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numericalvalues represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Medinilla dolichophylla×magnifica ‘RS005’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: Summer: 21 to 28 days at approximately    20-23° C. Winter: 28 to 35 days at approximately 20-23° C.-   Root description: Moderately dense, non-fleshy, non-fibrous,    moderately thick, colored Near Greyed-Orange RHS N170A and N170B.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: From 50 weeks from a rooted cutting.-   Growth habit: Spreading-upright, overall plant shape: flattened    globular.-   Pot size of plant described: 2 liter circular pot.-   Height: 36.0 cm.-   Plant spread: At widest: 75.0 cm, at narrowest: 38.5 cm.-   Growth rate: Moderate.-   Branching characteristics: Not very free branching.-   Quantity of primary lateral branches: Average: 3.-   Characteristics of primary lateral branches:    -   -   Length.—Average 27.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—Lateral branches flattened, average diameter at            widest: 1.5 cm, average diameter at narrowest: 0.7 cm.        -   Color.—Near Yellow-Green; RHS 144A, margins (of flattened            branches) Near Greyed-Yellow RHS 162A.        -   Texture.—Glabrous, moderately glossy, flattened margins            wavy.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Internode length: Average: 13.9 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 4 per branch (2 pairs).        -   Average overall length.—Average: 25.1 cm.        -   Average overall width.—Average: 13.3 cm.        -   Apex.—Short apiculate to mucronulate.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire, undulate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous, veins furrowed.        -   Texture of lower surface.—Glabrous, ridges due to furrowed            venation.        -   Appearance.—Leathery, shiny.        -   Aspect.—Slightly carinate, margins undulate.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near Yellow-Green RHS 146B.            Young foliage under side: Near Green to Yellow-Green; in            between RHS 143B and 144A. Mature foliage upper side: Near            Yellow-Green to Greyed-Green; in between RHS 147A and N189A            but darker. Mature foliage under side: Near Yellow-Green RHS            147D.        -   Venation.—Type: Camptodrome. Venation color upper side: Near            Yellow-Green; in between RHS 144B and 145A. Venation color            under side: Near Yellow-Green RHS 146D.        -   Petiole.—No petioles present, leaves sessile.        -   Stipule description.—No stipules present.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: April to June in the Philippines.-   Typical commercial flowering technique and time: To get the plant    into flowering, keep the plant at 18 degrees Celsius for about ten    weeks. Year around flowering occurs under the condition plants    receive this cold treatment.-   Days to flowering from rooted cutting: 50 weeks.-   Inflorescence and flower type and habit: Panicle.-   Rate of flower opening: 13 to 16 weeks from bud to fully opened    flower.-   Flower longevity on plant: Approximately 20 weeks of flowering from    first buds to exhausted flowering.-   Persistent or self-cleaning: Self-cleaning.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Length.—Average: 18.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average: 14.3 cm.        -   Aspect.—Pendulous.        -   Number of flowers.—Per inflorescence, average: 160.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Length.—Average: 0.6 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average: 0.4 cm.        -   Color.—Near Red-purple to greyed-purple; in between RHS 58D            and 186C.-   Flower size:    -   -   Diameter.—Average: 0.7 cm.        -   Depth.—Average: 1.1 cm.        -   Aspect.—Pendulous.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Arrangement.—Rotate, fused and part of an urn-shaped            hypanthium consisting of calyx, corolla, androecium and            gynoecium.        -   Length.—Average: 0.5 cm.        -   Width.—Width cannot be measured, petals fused to a            urn-shaped hypanthium and only visible when cut lengthways.        -   Apex.—Fused to the top of the urn-shaped hypanthium.        -   Base.—Fused to the urn-shaped hypanthium.        -   Margin.—Margin cannot be seen, petals fused to a urn-shaped            hypanthium and only visible when cut lengthways.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous.        -   Appearance.—Matte.        -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: Near Greyed-Purple RHS            186B. When opening, lower surface: Near Greyed-Purple RHS            186B. Fully opened, upper surface: Near Greyed-Purple RHS            186B. Fully opened, lower surface: Near Greyed-Purple RHS            186B. Aging: Not fading.-   Sepals:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rotate, fused and part of an urn-shaped            hypanthium consisting of calyx, corolla, androecium and            gynoecium.        -   Quantity.—5.        -   Length.—0.9 cm.        -   Width.—Since sepals cannot be seen as separate sepals,            width, shape, apex, base and margin cannot be seen/measured.        -   Shape.—Since sepals cannot be seen as separate sepals,            width, shape, apex, base and margin cannot be seen/measured.        -   Apex.—Since sepals cannot be seen as separate sepals, width,            shape, apex, base and margin cannot be seen/measured.        -   Base.—Since sepals cannot be seen as separate sepals, width,            shape, apex, base and margin cannot be seen/measured.        -   Margin.—Since sepals cannot be seen as separate sepals,            width, shape, apex, base and margin cannot be seen/measured.        -   Color, interior and exterior.—Near Red-Purple RHS 58A, top            on exterior Near Yellow-Green RHS 150D.-   Bracts:    -   -   Arrangement.—At the base of each pair of secondary            peduncles, four bracts are present.        -   Quantity.—32.        -   Length.—Average: 6.4 cm        -   Width.—Average: 3.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color, immature, interior.—Near Yellow-green RHS 150D, veins            and top tinged Near Red-Purple RHS 58A and 58B.        -   Color, immature, exterior.—Near Yellow-green RHS 150D, veins            and top tinged Near Red-Purple RHS 58C.        -   Color, mature, interior.—Near Red-Purple RHS 63B and 63C,            tinged Near Yellow-Green towards the margins and top; in            between RHS 145A and 146D. Veins Near Red-Purple RHS 61C.        -   Color, mature, exterior.—Near Red-purple RHS 59D, tinged            Near Yellow-Green towards the margins and top; in between            RHS 145A and 146D. Veins Near Red-Purple RHS 61B.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—Average: 31.7 cm.        -   Diameter.—Peduncles flattened quadrangulate, average            diameter at widest: 0.8 cm, average diameter at narrowest:            0.4 cm.        -   Angle.—Peduncle straight on top of lateral branch, but due            to the weight of the inflorescence the peduncle is bend to            straight vertical (about 90° to soil level/horizontal).        -   Strength.—Very strong.        -   Texture.—Glabrous, matte.        -   Color.—Near Yellow-Green RHS 145B and 145C, tinged and            margins (peduncle quadrangular) Near Red-Purple; N57A and            58A. Secondary peduncles Near Red-Purple RHS 58B.-   Pedicels:    -   -   Length.—Average: 0.6 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average: 0.2 cm.        -   Angle.—About 40° to peduncle.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Texture.—Glabrous, matte.        -   Color.—Near Red-purple RHS 58C.-   Fragrance: No fragrance.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—Average: 10.        -   Length.—Approximately 0.6 cm.        -   Color.—Near Purple-Violet RHS N81A.-   Anthers:    -   -   Shape.—Basifixed, narrow obovate.        -   Length.—Approximately 0.2 cm.        -   Color.—Near Green-Yellow RHS 1A.        -   Pollen.—No pollen detected.-   Pistil:    -   -   Position.—In the center of each flower, surrounded by            stamen.        -   Number.—Average: 1.        -   Length.—Average: 0.4 cm.        -   Style.—Length: Average: 0.4 cm. Color: Near Yellow-Green RHS            146C and 146D.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Pointed. Color: Near Yellow-Green RHS 146D.            Ovary Color: Near Yellow-Green RHS 146D.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: No seeds-fruits detected to date.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither Resistance nor susceptibility to    normal diseases and pests of the Genus observed.-   Temperature tolerance: 10° C. to 30° C. temperature tolerance range.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Medinilla plantnamed ‘RS005’ as herein illustrated and described.